Electric cord assembly for vacuum cleaners or the like



ug. 29, 1939. E. E FQLSOM, JR 2,171,331

ELECTRIC CORD ASSEMBLY FOR VACUUM CLEANERS OR THE LIKE Inventor: Elwood Efolsomn Attorney.

Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES ELECTRIC CORD ASSEMBLY FOR VACUUM CLEANERS OR THE LIKE Elwood E. Folsom, Jr., Trumbull, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 1, 1937, Serial No. 151,430

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a card assembly for Vacuum cleaners and the like wherein there is provided a handle to which` is connected an electric cord which in turn is connected through an electric switch to a motor or other electrical device to be controlled.

In such apparatus, a relatively long cord is provided to give a suitable operating range for the vacuum cleaner and this cord drags back lo and forth across the floor as the cleaner is used. As a result, considerable pulling strains are put on the mechanical connection between the cord and the handle and also there is considerable exing of the cord adjacent tothe handle.

l5 One object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement for mechanically connecting a cord to a vacuum cleaner handle or the like which is simple in construction and easy to assemble on the handle zo and which attaches the cord to the handle in a manner such that it is rmly held by the handle so that no strain can be put on the electrical connections between the cord and the switch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein the cord is held on the handle or the like in a way such that exing of the cord adjacent to the handle is distributed over a length of the cord so that the wires oi the cord are protected against breakage due to 30 exing. f

For a. consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following speciiicationand the claim appended thereto.

35 In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vacuum cleaner provided with the construction embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the vacuum cleaner handle at which the cord is connected, and Fig. 3

o is-a detail perspective view of a part of the cord and the parts through which it is connected to the handle.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates the body of a vacuum cleaner to which is attached a handle 2 for propelling the cleaner across the surface to be cleaned and 3 indicates a vacuum cleaner bag which is connected to the discharge nozzle 4 of the cleaner at one end and supported by a hook 5 at the other end. On handle 2 are 50 hooks 6 on which the cord 1 may be wound when "the cleaner is not in use. Thevconstruction so far described is to be taken as typical of any suitablev vacuum cleaner construction.

The handle 2 is formed from a hollow steel tube and adjacent to its outer end is provided with an opening 8`on its under side normally closed by a cover plate 9 fastened in place by screws l0. The handle is round and cover plate 9 is made to conform to the contour of the handle. In the present instance, one of the screws 5 I0 serves to hold in place also the hook 5 for the upper end of the vacuum cleaner bag, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. In cover plate 9 is an opening II through which the cord enters the handle and an openingl2 through which 1o the switch handle I3 projects.

Switch handle I3 forms a part of any suitable type of switch indicated at I4 and which in the present instance is shown as being attached to cover plate 9 by means of screws I5. The bindl5 ing posts for the switch are indicated at I6 and the movable element of the switch is indicated at I'I. The switch show-n is of known construction and since its specific construction forms no part of the present invention, further description is unnecessary. It is to be taken as typical of any suitable switch for controlling an electric circuit.

In the present instance, opening II is shown as being surrounded by an outwardly projecting collar I8 providing a recess in which is located a metal washer I9.

On cord "I, directly adjacent to its end, there is provided a sleeve or casing 20 formed of rubber or other suitable flexible material. Preferably it is molded directly on to the cord so as to form an integral part thereof. However, if desired, it may be formed separately and suitably attached to the cord by cementing itin place or otherwise. Sleeve 20 has an enlarged head 35 2i at its outer end and a. tapered portion 22 which extends from the head along the cord, embedding the cord for some little distance from the head. Preferably the tapered portion 22 is molded or formed to have normally the curved '40 shape shown in the drawing so that it extends downwardly'in the direction the cord normally takes in hanging down from the vacuum cleaner handle. Head 2| is provided with a shoulder 23 which fits against the outer surface of the Wall surrounding opening il and with a portion 2l which projects through such opening to a point inside the handle. The wall at opening II is of a thickness suiiicient to hold firmly head 2| and prevent it from turning; and also to prevent the wall from cutting the head. On opposite sides of portion 24 are longitudinally extending grooves 25 which receive the two arms 26 of a yoke 21 for fastening the head in cover plate 9. The grooves 25 are so located that 55 when the yoke 21 is in position, as shown in Fig. 2, ange 23 is held tightly against the outer surface of the cover plate. Preferably-opening I I is of a contour other than round so that when vthe lhead is in position therein, it is held from turning. In the present instance, opening Il is shown as having opposite flat sides, portion 24 of head 2| having corresponding at surfaces to t against said sides. This serves to holdthe head from turning in the opening. Atone end of yoke 21 is an upturned iinger 28 which serves as a handle for use in inserting and removing the yoke.

In the use of the invention, the switch and cord are attached .to cover plate 9, the switch being attached by means of screws I5, and the cord being attached by means of the yoke 21 after which the conductors on the cord are connected to the binding postsl I6 of the switch.`

This forms then a unitary assembled construction which can be attached to the vacuum cleaner handle by placing the cover plate against the handle and inserting the screws I0, the switch and the inner end of head 2 projecting through the handle opening 8.

By the foregoing construction, it will be seen that the cord is attached to the cover plate by merely inserting the portion 24 of the head through the opening in the plate and slipping the yoke 21 into position. This is a thing which can loe quickly and easily done. When thus connected, the cord is rmly attached to the handle and any pull on the cord will be taken by the yoke and cannot be transmitted to the switch connections. Also, the tapered sleeve 22 serves4 to hold the cord in a curve of relatively large radius and any bending of the cord adjacent to the handle is taken by this radius. 'I'his serves to prevent sharp bending of the cord adjacent to the handle which might in time cause the wires to become broken.

' While I have particularly described my invention as being applied to a vacuum cleaner or the like, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto necessarily but may be used Wherever found applicable.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In combination, a plate having an opening therein, an electric cord, a sleeve of flexible resilient material secured to and surrounding said cord and having a head located in said opening, said head having a collar thereon engaging said plate on one sideA and opposed grooves therein located on the other side of said plate, and a slidable yoke having arms of rigid material located in said grooves, said grooves being so locatedwith respect to said collar that said arms will ex the resilient material of said head upon insertion in said grooves whereby saidv arms are held in engagement with said plate, said yoke and collar gripping the opposite sides of said plate to secure said head in said opening with the electric cord passing through said opening, said sleeve having a tapered portion extending from the head along said cord t'o form a strain relief for said cord. v

ELWOOD E. FOLSOM, Ja. 

